Each week, the headlines from I-35 Speedway talk about how exciting the racing action has been. To some, this may seem an embellishment. To the fans in attendance, however, the racing has become exponentially exciting, week after week. Saturday night, Seeburg Mufflers Night At The Races was certainly among the most thrilling this year so far.
Take a driver that loves drag racing, put him in an E-Mod with the nickname, ‘Mad Dog,’ and you find yourself standing next to Matt Dorssom. Even with the wins Dorssom has amassed, they have all been well earned, with several drivers giving him plenty to worry about. Dorssom started inside row one, and ran to an early lead, with Jessie ‘James’ Mulich, John Ross, Shaunie Lanning, Jeff Goepferich, Sr, Doug Brisbin, and Steven Makar, among those nipping at Dorssom for the lead. After fantastic driving with all involved, Dorssom held on for his 5th win of the season, with Lanning 2nd, Makar 3rd, Mulich 4th, with Ross rounding out the top five finishers.
Pure Stock driver, Ron ‘Monkey Man’ Hill has had his hands full as well. Hill started on the pole, but getting the lead was a difficult task to say the least. Rylee Fuller, Wayne Brooke, Blaine Younts, Keith Jennings, Matthew Matsukevich, were all right with Hill, as no one was giving ground. When checkered flag flew, Hill was up front, gaining his fourth victory this year, with Brooke 2nd, Younts 3rd, Fuller 4th, and Jennings 5th.
The Show Me Vintage Racers rolled off next. Everyone was very fast at the drop of the green flag. Dan Schmidt, Mickey Fleetheart, and Steve Rock we’re running up front, when Damon Clevenger and Elmer Fudd began their run to the front. Fudd won his heat race in a very convincing manner. He wasted no time, as Fudd was soon challenging for the front spot. Fudd got the win, his second of the year at I-35 Speedway.
No matter where you put Kyle Lewis in the lineup for the feature for the POWRi Midwest Lightning Sprint Cars, you know he will quickly find his way to the front of the field. Last year, racing legend Bobby Layne amassed seven feature wins at I-35 Speedway. After two outings, it’s been Lewis taking all the wins thus far. Lewis would have his work cut out for him this night, as several fast sprint cars raced to the front of the field early, including Kenny Bowers, Tyler Murrey, Layne, and Lewis. Lewis ran second, sizing up the pass to the front, taking his third consecutive win after several hard fought laps of racing. Layne finished second after challenging Lewis several laps for the lead, with Miller 3rd, Alex Davis 4th, and Jeff Bard 5th.
Liberty, Missouri native Gregg Truelove was superb last weekend, but an errant oil leak led to a disappointing early end. Truelove and Jon Melloway have been the only drivers so far to beat out Tommy Cordray for a win this year in the Midwest Limited Late Models. Tonight, Cordray was in a huge fight to try to once again travel to McCarthy Auto Group Winner’s Circle, as Truelove, Eddie Schwope, Jr, Chad Fuller, Bobby Penney, Michael King, Donnie Brown, and Houston Johnson were all hungry for a win. Truelove pressed Cordray up front, as did Penny, who showed a lot of speed, along with Schwope, who is always a tuff competitor. At the finish, Cordray kept the crowd at bey, earning his 6th win this season.
Joesph Mick was scheduled to start on the pole for the Sport Compacts, but could not get his car fired up after a push onto the track. David Miller III, by virtue of Mick’s dilemma, moved inside row one for the start. John Willard, driving his, ‘Batmoblie,’ raced to the front, along with Richard McCaulley. Miller finished 1st, with McCaulley 2nd, following his big battle with Willard, who finished 3rd, with Franklin Reed 4th, and Mick 5th. The win was Miller’s 2nd of the year.
The Summit USRA Weekly Racing Series took the final thee events of the night, capturing the fans breath lap after lap with some amazing racing. The Out-Pace USRA B-Mods rolled out on the track, with Shadren Turner on the pole, and Nick Newton to his right. Daniel Harris started inside row two, with Tim Galvin next to him. Harris Presented his new racing machine this year, and was bested early in the season by his old race car. Weeks ago st another racetrack, Harris had a nasty crash, rolling his #07 several times. To his credit, Harris persevered, quickly repairing his car to continue competing, trying to iron out the setup. As the race began, the cars roared down the frontstretch into turn one. Turner raced to the front, with Harris in tow inches away, as were Galvin, and Newton. Drifting high out of turn two, Newton lost a few spots. This set up the epic battle between Turner and Harris, as the pair raced lap after lap, with Turner guarding the bottom line near the apron, and Harris looking for a way to get by for the lead. This put everyone on their feet. The fans were cheering on both drivers frantically, as the pair raced on. In the final stages, Harris somehow managed to race by Turner, earning Harris his first win of the year at I-35 Speedway, to his joy, as well as his fans. Turner was a close 2nd, with Newton racing his way back through the field for a 3rd place finish.
The American Racer Tires USRA Stock Cars were next, and again, the Drivers put on a great show for the fans. Tim Shields started inside row two, but, at the drop of the green flag, made it three wide heading to the lead by the exit of turn two. Butch Bailey, Austin O’Neal, Jeff Dixon, Travis Walker, and David Halomb were not far away from Shields. O’Neal, who was banged up after a crash in a sprint car a couple of weeks ago, put Austin Johnson in his race car last Saturday. Johnson, with his very first time in a Stock Car, put O’Neal’s #1 in McCarthy Auto Group Winner’s Circle. O’Neal was ready to get back in his Stock Car this week, and was soon right behind Shields in second. After some errant contact following a restart, O’Neal’s right front quarter panel showed damage. O’Neal relinquished second place, pulling off of the track to his hauler. Jeff Dixon, who raced his way through the field from his starting spot outside row three, started his quest for a win, with Shields trying to fend off Dixon. Shields ran the the low side, with Dixon racing on the cushion on the high side. The two drivers raced on for laps this way, putting the fans in a frenzy. Dixon eventually got by Shields, racing to his 3rd win of the year at I-35 Speedway.
The final race of the night was, perhaps, one of the most thrilling. The front row for the USRA A-Mods consisted of Lee Hibner on the inside, with Paden Phillips on the outside. Dennis Elliott was inside row two, with Chris Mercer. Last week’s feature winner, Zach Sanders began inside row four. As the green flag flew, Hibner ran to the lead, with Elliott trying everything he could do to go low inside Hibner. This epic battle continued for several laps. After a restart, Elliott drifted high out of turn two in a high speed traffic jam, and Paden Phillips was soon giving Hibner a ton of pressure for the lead, just as Elliott had done, but to no avail. On the final lap, Paden once again tried the outside line coming out to turn two, but this time, Hibner was not able to motor away to shut the door on Paden. In turn three, Hibner ran the low-middle of the banking with Paden up top. Side-by-side they drag raced to the finish line, with Paden edging out Hibner for the win, the second of the year for Phillips to the trill of the crowd.
Next Weekend it’s a double header for I-35 Speedway, as the track will feature a concert on Friday, June 7th, along with racing, including the E-Mods Special with $500 going to the winner, plus, the Pure Stocks, and Sport Compacts. The music group Dammit Jim, will perform following the racing program. The Following night, Saturday, June 8, Will be Casey’s Night At The Races, and will feature a complete racing lineup, featuring the Summit USRA Weekly Racing Series USRA A-Mods, Out-Pace B-Mods, American Racer Tires Stock Cars, as well as the E-Mods, Pure Stocks, MIdwest Limited Late Models, Sport Compacts, and the Midwest Outlaw Vintage Racing Series. I-35 Speedway Little Buddies Power Wheels Kids (6 & 12 Volt) will also be competing at intermission.
I-35 Speedway, Is Your Home For Dirt Track Racing At It’s Best!